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I don't like the guy they got to play Roose, but he has done pretty well with what they've given him.

It's nice to see the Boltons finally starting to become relatively big characters, my non-reader friends are finally starting to notice them and be suspicious.

I think a lot of Roose Bolton's mannerisms are difficult to emphasise on screen, especially the soft speaking as they don't show councils much between the Northern Lords. I imagine we may get the leeches at Harrenhal with Jaime once he's been taken there.

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I like Vladimir Putin as Roose, and it looks like they'll do a good job with the Ramsey/Theon arc.

I'm actually worried that they've put too much emphasis on Roose. I don't think that we've seen any other lord with Robb since season 1, except for Roose and Karstark, and the only other banners/sigils that I've seen in the northern army are the corresponding flayed man and white sunburst. Please correct me, if I'm wrong. (Who am I kidding, of course you will.) Anyway, when we get to the RW will it appear that Robb's entire army has turned against him? Will it just be Boltons, Karstarks, and Freys killing Wolves?

Maybe I'm too much of a book purist, but I would really like to see an extra standing around Robb with a Glover mailed fist or a fat guy with Manderly merman on his chest or shield. I know they can't cast all the Northern and River lords from the books, but they could throw us a few more bones. Maybe the Greatjohn will have a surprise cameo at the RW, but I doubt it. [nerd rage fades to a sigh of resignation]

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I like Vladimir Putin as Roose, and it looks like they'll do a good job with the Ramsey/Theon arc.

I'm actually worried that they've put too much emphasis on Roose. I don't think that we've seen any other lord with Robb since season 1, except for Roose and Karstark, and the only other banners/sigils that I've seen in the northern army are the corresponding flayed man and white sunburst. Please correct me, if I'm wrong. (Who am I kidding, of course you will.) Anyway, when we get to the RW will it appear that Robb's entire army has turned against him? Will it just be Boltons, Karstarks, and Freys killing Wolves?

Maybe I'm too much of a book purist, but I would really like to see an extra standing around Robb with a Glover mailed fist or a fat guy with Manderly merman on his chest or shield. I know they can't cast all the Northern and River lords from the books, but they could throw us a few more bones. Maybe the Greatjohn will have a surprise cameo at the RW, but I doubt it. [nerd rage fades to a sigh of resignation]

Well, we know that Robb will have at least Edmure, the Blackfish and Wendel Manderly supporting him to the bitter end in the show. I also wish he had more nobles supporting him, but I think those guys will be enough to show that many people are still on his side.

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Did not know that a Manderly had been cast. At least that's something. (Also enjoyed the dead Mallister in Ep 1, even though I dont think "Ser Jeremy" was in the books - don't have them handy right now.)

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I like the actor playing Roose a lot. He gets a lot of airtime and lines without being noticeable- which is the whole point.

I think on second watching, casual fans who probably still don't know who lord Bolton is will have a major face-palm moment when they see how long he has been around.

Not happy with the change to the Bolton banners- I don't understand why they felt it was necessary, unless they were finding it hard to pull off pink. I like the cross thing they have going on- the visual clue is there between their banners and the apparatus Theon has been strapped to.

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I like the actor playing Roose a lot. He gets a lot of airtime and lines without being noticeable- which is the whole point.

I think on second watching, casual fans who probably still don't know who lord Bolton is will have a major face-palm moment when they see how long he has been around.

Not happy with the change to the Bolton banners- I don't understand why they felt it was necessary, unless they were finding it hard to pull off pink. I like the cross thing they have going on- the visual clue is there between their banners and the apparatus Theon has been strapped to.

My problem is that the Bolton banners are everywhere all of a sudden. Far larger and more numerous than Stark banners and all others are non existent. I would have had less of an issue with this sudden emphasis if the Bolton banners had been introduced earlier - in particular they should have had emphasis in the scene where Robb tells Roose they won't be using his torture techniques - and the banners should have had recognition by the characters to let the viewers know that they actually depicted the torture techniques that were being discussed.

It has sort of had the feel that when Robb 'called the banners' everyone showed up with Stark Direwolves and now there are Flayed Men all over the place. Viewers are entitled to be a bit confused about what is going on.

I have actually been a bit disconcerted at the disappearance of Lords like Umber etc. Did they all have coronaries after yelling "King in the North" all night back in Season 1?

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It'll be a shame if the don't fit that in somehow, even if it's just a creepy little monologue from Ramsay. Poor Lady Hornwood's fate stuck with me for a long time after reading ACoK, even though we just heard about it second hand and she was such a minor character.

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It'll be a shame if the don't fit that in somehow, even if it's just a creepy little monologue from Ramsay. Poor Lady Hornwood's fate stuck with me for a long time after reading ACoK, even though we just heard about it second hand and she was such a minor character.

I agree, it showed the depths Ramsay would go to get what he wanted which was Hornwood lands (her Husband and Son had died leaving Lady Hornwood with no immiediate heir)

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I like the arc, but I wish the actor they'd gotten to play Roose was more visually unique. I understand why they can't do incredibly pale eyes, but I still wish there was something that made his apparence a bit more distinctive, even if it was only a prominent Flayed Man badge on his tunic. As it is, week to week, I can't really remember what he looks like.

Ugh -- flashback to a much older version of this board and a poster called Flayed Man. Don't suppose anyone else here would remember him....

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I like the arc, but I wish the actor they'd gotten to play Roose was more visually unique. I understand why they can't do incredibly pale eyes, but I still wish there was something that made his apparence a bit more distinctive, even if it was only a prominent Flayed Man badge on his tunic. As it is, week to week, I can't really remember what he looks like.

Ugh -- flashback to a much older version of this board and a poster called Flayed Man. Don't suppose anyone else here would remember him....

Well, Roose is described as a normal looking guy with a completely unremarkable face. I think Michael McElhatton looks the part. I don't know why so many people draw him like a vampire in fan art.

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I like the arc, but I wish the actor they'd gotten to play Roose was more visually unique. I understand why they can't do incredibly pale eyes, but I still wish there was something that made his apparence a bit more distinctive, even if it was only a prominent Flayed Man badge on his tunic. As it is, week to week, I can't really remember what he looks like.

Ugh -- flashback to a much older version of this board and a poster called Flayed Man. Don't suppose anyone else here would remember him....

Roose is not supposed to be distinguished. Also now that we've seen the actor like 10 times I don't know how you don't make the instant connection. Roose is distinguished because of his (rather surprising and creepy) actions, not his appearance.

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Roose Bolton is meant to look unremarkable. He is the quintessential dark horse. The real one you are meant to look out for but can't see even though he is right in-front of you. That is the lesson he teaches everyone. It's the quiet ones, the ones you took for granted, forgot about etc you need to look out for, not the ones wringing their hands, sounding off, giving creepy looks at the 4th wall or saying "yees master". That would be dumbing down a sophisticated supervillain.

He is the reason I hate the Freys and respect the Boltons- for Roose's immaculate discretion. He always has his mask on- even with servants (see Arya's chapters) We will have enough obvious villains soon- Ramsey/Joffrey/Walder Frey not to need more panto-stuff

That said, Harrenhal with Jamie, and Roose's leaches will start to get people noticing him. That's quite a supervillan detail tbh! Up until now, he has been "Robb's bannerman", and not an individual decision-maker. His dealings with Jamie will prompt viewers to try to get inside Roose's mind more, as it did for readers.

I'm still entertaining a crackpot theory that Roose is an "Other" wrapped in human skin, and is deliberately trying to massacre as many people as possible for as long as possible before being found out, but perhaps I am making him more important than he is!

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I'm not sure about the Boltons. They are only really bringing them to the front lines this season, so people may feel a bit cheated by Roose's betrayal, thinking he was just some character thrown in to add a shock factor. This could be worse also because so many show-watchers I know still don't have a clue who the Boltons are.

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^ I think that is a fair concern. I suspect we will get at least one if not more then one character building scene in Harrenhal. Also they could elect do some of character building scenes after RW since moving Ramsey up will allow them to give Roose Bolton more scenes if they want to.